Image processing device, image processing method, program and storage medium

ABSTRACT

To enable the operability of image editing process to improve, the first procedure for making configurations relating to a print medium used in printing by a printing device, the second procedure for selecting an image to be printed by the printing device and specifying its print range, the third procedure for making configurations relating to image processing for the image for which the print range is specified, and the fourth procedure for performing printing process of the image data to which the configured image processing is applied are executed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing device, imageprocessing method, program, and storage medium for processing image dataand causing a printing device to print the processed image.

2. Related background Art

Conventionally, when an image editing application is executed that isoperable on such as Windows® 98, an operating system from MicrosoftInc., the screen displaying entries to be set by a user would not beswitched according to the condition of necessary editing. Therefore, theuser needed to select a menu and choose from it a menu entry forconfiguring image trimming or image printing to execute the processaccording to his/her editing condition.

However, the prior art had a problem as follows. That is, theconventional image processing method had a problem that a user haddifficulty in finding which menu or button he/she should select toperform a necessary input. Also, since recent applications increasinglyhave a great number of image editing features, it is getting all themore difficult for the user to find an operation to be performed from amenu or buttons in an application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention was made in view of the above respects and has the objectof improving the operability of image editing process.

To attain the object, the image processing device according to theinvention is an image processing device for processing image data andhaving the processed image data printed by a printing device,characterized in that it comprises control means for executing:

a first procedure for making configurations relating to a print mediumused in printing by the printing device;

a second procedure for selecting an image to be printed by the printingdevice and specifying its print range;

a third procedure for making configurations relating to the imageprocessing of the image for which the print range was specified; and

a fourth procedure for performing the printing process of the image datato which the configured image processing was applied.

The image processing method according to the invention is an imageprocessing method for processing image data and having the processedimage data printed by the printing device, characterized in that it has:

a first procedure for making configurations relating to a print mediumused in printing by the printing device;

a second procedure for selecting an image to be printed by the printingdevice and specifying its print range;

a third procedure for making configurations relating to the imageprocessing of the image for which the print range was specified; and

a fourth procedure for performing the printing process of the image datato which the configured image processing was applied.

The computer readable program according to the invention is a programfor processing image data and having the processed image data printed bythe printing device, characterized in that it has:

a first procedure for making configurations relating to a print mediumused in printing by the printing device;

a second procedure for selecting an image to be printed by the printingdevice and specifying its print range;

a third procedure for making configurations relating to the imageprocessing of the image for which the print range was specified; and

a fourth procedure for performing the printing process of the image datato which the configured image processing was applied.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration ofthe image processing device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a flow chart illustrating the first procedure according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 shows a flow chart illustrating the second procedure according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a flow chart illustrating the third procedure according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart illustrating the fourth procedure according toan embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forperforming. the first procedure according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 7 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forperforming the second procedure according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forperforming the third procedure according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 9 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forperforming the fourth procedure according to an embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 10 shows a flow chart illustrating a procedure according to anembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 11 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forsoftware for selecting an image according to an embodiment of theinvention; and

FIG. 12 is an illustration showing an exemplary screen display forsoftware for selecting an image according to an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The overview of the invention will be first described prior to thedescription of its embodiments.

The invention realizes further improvements of the operability of imageediting process by switching displays listing configuration entriescorresponding to each procedure depending on how an application islaunched, in an application of image editing process for editing imagedata adapted for a printing device and also for having the printingdevice print the result of the editing. Now, the embodiments of theinvention will be described in detail based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of theimage processing device according to an embodiment of the invention. Theimage processing device consists of a host computer 100 which comprisesapplication software 101, an operating system (OS) 102, printer driver103, monitor driver 104, hard disk (HD) 107, CPU 108, RAM 109, ROM 110,and keyboard/mouse driver 111; a keyboard/mouse 112 as an input deviceconnected to the host computer 100; a printing device (printer) 105 asan output device such as an inkjet printer connected to the hostcomputer 100; and a monitor 106 as an output device connected to thehost computer 100.

More particularly, the application software 101 is software such as wordprocessor, spreadsheet, or Internet browser on the host computer 100.The operating system (OS) 102 processes outputs of various instructionsfor the printer driver 103 and the monitor driver 104 to be mentioned inthe following. The printer driver 103 controls driving of the printer105. The monitor driver 104 controls the display of the monitor 106. Thehard disk (HD) 107 stores various types of data. The CPU 108 is thecentral processing device controlling each of the above elements andexecutes processes shown in the respective flow charts to be describedlater. The RAM 109 is used as a work area or temporary storage area forthe CPU 108. The ROM 110 stores programs and fixed data. Thekeyboard/mouse driver 111 conveys input signals from the keyboard/mouse112 to the OS 102.

The programs relevant to the flow charts shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 to bementioned later are stored in the hard disk (HD) 107 or ROM 110 andappropriately read by the CPU 108 to be executed.

The printing device (printer) 105 performs printing on a print mediumbased on the control of the printer driver 103. The printing device(printer) 105 can employ any type of printing processes such as theabove-mentioned inkjet printing and electrophotography printing. Themonitor 106 displays various screen displays including screens shown inFIGS. 6 to 9, which will be later described, based on the control of themonitor driver 104. The keyboard/mouse 112 is used for inputting variousdata and various designations.

More specifically, the host computer 100 comprises the keyboard/mouse112 in order to receive inputs from users. The inputs received on thekeyboard/mouse 112 are processed by the keyboard/mouse driver 111 andpassed to the operating system (OS) 102. Also, the host computer 100 hasthe application software 101 such as word processor, spreadsheet, andInternet browser.

When an image is to be displayed on the monitor 106, various renderingprocessing instructions for outputting the image by display (imagerendering instructions, text rendering instructions, and graphicsrendering instructions), issued by the application software 101, areinput to the monitor driver 104 via the OS 102. And when printing isperformed by the printing device (printer) 105, rendering instructionsissued by the application software 101 for carrying out printings arealso input to the printer driver 103 via the OS 102. The printer driver103 is software for processing such rendering instructions to generateprinting data and having the printing device (printer) 105 print it. Themonitor driver 104 is software for processing the above renderinginstructions and having the monitor 106 display images.

The host computer 100 comprises pieces of hardware such as the CPU 108,hard disk (HD) 107, RAM 109, and ROM 110 for storing the above softwareand running them. In this regard, it is possible to use anIBMAT-compatible personal computer which is widely used as the hostcomputer 100 shown in RIG. 1, and to use Windows® 98 from Microsoft Inc.as the OS 102. And such a configuration is possible that the personalcomputer of the above type has any application software with printingfeature installed in it and the monitor 106, printing device (printer)105, and keyboard/mouse 112 connected to it.

On the host computer 100, image data for output is generated by theapplication software 101 based on the image displayed on the monitor 106using text data that is classified as text such as characters, graphicsdata classified as graphics such as figures, or picture image dataclassified as photographic images. And when images based on the outputimage data are to be printed, the application software 101 requests theOS 102 of print output and issues rendering instructions to the OS 102that consist of text rendering instructions for text data portion,graphics rendering instructions for graphics data portion, and imagerendering instructions for picture image data portion.

On receipt of the request for print output from the application software101, the OS 102 passes the rendering instructions to the printer driver103 that corresponds to the printer 105. The printer driver 103processes the request and the instructions passed from the OS 102 togenerate printing data which can be processed by the printing device(printer) 105 and sends it to the printing device (printer) 105. If theprinting device (printer) 105 is a raster printer for example, theprinter driver 103 rasterizes the rendering instructions consecutivelyinto band memory which has 8-bit depth for each of RGB (R: red, G:green, B: blue). After all of the rendering instructions have beenrasterized, the printer driver 103 converts the content in page memoryto data format which can be printed by the printing device (printer)105, for example CMYK (C: cyan, M: magenta, Y: yellow, K: black)data,and sends it to the printer 105. The band memory is allocated in the RAM109, for example.

In the following, the flow of image processing through the imageprocessing device according to an embodiment of the invention which isconfigured as the above will be described in detail with reference toFIGS. 1 to 9.

(The First Procedure)

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the flow of the first procedure. Thisflow chart is performed by the CPU 108 of the host computer 100. First,at the step S10 the CPU 108 selects a printing device 105 fromperipheral devices (input/output devices) connected to the host computer100 according to a user's designation with a pointing device etc. Thenat the step S20, based on information from the printer driver 103 andaccording to the user's designation with a pointing device etc, the CPU108 selects a paper size for printing from the sizes supported by theprinting device 105 which was selected at the step S10. At the step S30,based on the information from the printer driver 103, the CPU 108 thenselects the type of paper such as plain paper and photographic paper asthe type of the paper with the size selected at the step S20 accordingto the user's designation with a pointing device etc.

(The Second Procedure)

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the flow of the second procedure. Thischart is performed by the CPU 108 of the host computer 100. First at thestep S100, the CPU 108 reads an image file subjected to image processingor an information file to be created with this image processing methodfrom a storage device such as the hard disk 107. Then at the step S110,the CPU 108 examines whether or not the file read from the storagedevice like the hard disk 107 at the step S100 is an information filewhich will be created with the image processing method.

If it is determined at the step S110 that the file read from the storagedevice such as the hard disk 107 is not an information file to becreated according to the image processing method, than the CPU 108displays an image file read from the storage device such as the harddisk 107 on the monitor 106 by means of the monitor driver 104 at thestep S120.

When the image is displayed, it is necessary to consider the size of theimage to be displayed depending on the paper type (postcard, A4), sincefull-page printing is supported in postcard printing, whereas not in A4printing. Specifically, when postcard is specified, the area that willbe printed overflowing (12 pixels for each of four sides, for example)is removed from the original image (800×600 pixels, for example) forfull-page printing and an image smaller than the original one (776×576pixels, for example) is displayed, whereas when A4 is specified, theoriginal image (800×600 pixels, for example) is displayed as it is.Processed in this way, images can be printed as trimmed.

At the step S130, the CPU 108 then receives the input of the rotationangle for the image. And at the step S140, the CPU 108 determineswhether or not the rotation angle for the image received at the stepS130 is different from that of the image displayed on the monitor 106 atthe step S120.

If, at the step S140, it is determined that the rotation angle of theimage received at the step S130 is different from that of the imagebeing displayed on the monitor 106 at the step S120, at the step S150the CPU 108 processes the image by rotating it with the rotation anglereceived at the step S130 and, at the step S160, displays the processingresult on the monitor 106 by means of the monitor driver 104. Then atthe step S170, the CPU 108 specifies the print range (trimming area) forthe image file read from the storage device such as the hard disk 107 atthe step S100.

As the specification of a print range is processed, a trimming frame(701) based on the aspect ratio of the paper size (postcard, A4, card,etc.) selected in the first procedure is displayed. At this point, thepaper size is compared with the image size and a trimming frame isdisplayed in its largest size that matches either the vertical orhorizontal length. In the example of FIG. 7, the size of the trimmingframe matches the image in its vertical size and the horizontal sizedepends on the vertical size. Then, the display of the trimming frame ismodified according to scaling operations to the frame by the user with apointing device etc.

If, at the step S140, it is determined that the rotation angle receivedat the step S130 is equal to that of the image displayed on the monitor106 at the step S120, the process for the step S170 is executed. Also,if it is determined at the step S110 that the file read from the storagedevice such as the hard disk 107 is an information file to be createdwith the image processing, the second procedure is terminated.

(The Third Procedure)

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the flow of the third procedure. Thisflow chart is performed by the CPU 108 of the host computer 100. First,at the step S200, the CPU 108 displays only the area of the image fileon the monitor 106 which was specified as the print range at the step5170 in the second procedure shown in FIG. 3 via the monitor driver 104.Then at the step S210, the CPU 108 specifies an area subjected to imageprocessing within the area displayed on the monitor 106 at the step S200according to the user's designation with a pointing device. This areadesignation could be a designation with a polygon (801) with itsvertices specified by a pointing device, for example. Then at the stepS220, the CPU 108 receives an input as to whether the area specified forimage processing at the step S210 will be modified or not.

If an input for modifying the area subjected to image processing isreceived at the step S220, the CPU 108 modifies the area for imageprocessing at the step S230. At the step S240, the CPU 108 thenspecifies the level of image processing for the area subjected to imageprocessing specified at the step S210, or the area subjected to imageprocessing modified at the step S230. Here, the level of imageprocessing refers to the amount of raising when giving a photographthree-dimensional appearance for example, although the invention is notlimited to this.

(The Fourth Procedure)

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the fourth procedure. This flow chart isperformed by the CPU 108 of the host computer 100. First at the stepS300, the CPU 108 receives an input as to whether or not printingprocess will be performed by the printing device 105 according to theconfigurations in the first, second, and third procedures. If the CPU108 receives a designation for performing printing process at the stepS300, it executes printing process for the image data which has beenprocessed with three-dimensional effect of the level specified at thestep S240 within the area specified at the step S210 by means of theprinter driver 103. In this process, image processing for generatingimage data suitable for the printing device having a specificresolution, scaling process of the image according to the area trimmedat S170 and the paper size specified at S20, color conversion processfrom RGB to YMCK, or binarization process is carried out. Subsequently,at the step S320 the CPU 108 receives an input as to whether theconfiguration information for the first, second, and third procedureswill be saved or not. If it has received a designation for saving theinformation at the step S320, the CPU 108 saves it in a storage devicesuch as the hard disk 107 at the step S330.

(The Execution of the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Procedures)

Now, the execution of the first, second, third, and fourth procedureswill be described for the case the image processing method is anapplication operable on Windows® 98 from Microsoft Inc, for example.

When image processing is directly executed, the first procedure is firstaccepted and subsequently the second, third, and fourth procedures willbe accepted. And when the start of the image processing method isinstructed on the monitor 106 on which an image read from a storagedevice such as the hard disk 107 is displayed, the second procedure isaccepted and after that the third and fourth procedures will beaccepted. And when the start of the image processing method wasinstructed based on information saved in the fourth procedure, thefourth procedure is accepted.

In an embodiment of the invention, the executable file for theapplication in which the image processing method is implemented is named“Application.exe”. As shown in FIG. 10, the application in which theimage processing is implemented determines at the step S400 how it islaunched at the start-up. If, at the step S400, the application in whichthe image processing is implemented is instructed to start bydouble-clicking the “Application.exe” using such as file manipulationutility, the screen for executing the first procedure is first displayedon the monitor 106 (see FIG. 6) since the first to forth procedures haveto be executed. FIG. 6 shows an exemplary display which shows theprinting device (printer) to be selected, paper sizes to be selected,and the paper types to be selected. Then at the step S410 the firstprocedure is performed. Subsequently, at the step S420 the screen asshown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the monitor 106 for the execution of thesecond procedure. FIG. 7 is an exemplary screen on which the print range(the mountain in the center of the screen) is specified on the imagebeing displayed on the monitor 106. And at the step S430 the screen asshown in FIG. 8 is displayed on the monitor 106 for executing the thirdprocedure. FIG. 8 is an exemplary screen for specifying the level ofimage processing. Finally, at the step S440 the screen as shown in FIG.9 is displayed on the monitor 106 for executing the fourth procedure.FIG. 9 is an example of the screen for specifying the printing of theresult of the image processing and saving of information in a storagedevice such as the hard disk 107.

If, at the step S400, the application in which the image processing isimplemented is launched with an image being selected from multipleimages on the monitor 106 on which images read from a storage devicesuch as the hard disk 107 are displayed, the screen for performing thesecond procedure is displayed on the monitor 106 immediately after“Application.exe” is invoked, since the operation for specifying animage file has been already done (see FIG. 7). Specifically, an image isselected by clicking a mouse on a displayed image on software thathandles multiple image files as shown in FIG. 11. And a right click ofthe mouse on the selected image displays a submenu listing operationoptions for the selected image as shown in FIG. 12. By selecting“Application.exe” from the displayed submenu, the “Application.exe” isinvoked with the selected image being loaded. The processes for stepsS420 to S440 are then executed in sequence. The entries to be shown inthe submenu are based on the content described in a particular file forthe display of the submenu. Accordingly, when software is to beinstalled so that the “Application.exe” can be used on a computer, the“Application.exe” will be displayed as one of the options in the submenuas shown in FIG. 12 by adding an entry for “Application.exe” to theparticular file.

If, at the step S400, the application in which the image processing isimplemented is instructed to start by double-clicking a file that wassaved in the application by means of such as file manipulation utility,the screen for performing the fourth procedure is displayed on themonitor 106 (see FIG. 9) right after “Application.exe” is invoked sinceall the configurations have been already made. And the step S400 isprocessed.

As described in the above, according to the embodiment of the invention,the host computer 100 which performs the image editing process forediting image data suitable for the printing device 105 and also has theresult of editing printed by the printing device 105 provides advantagesas described in the following, since it, depending on how theapplication is launched, controls displays by switching displays listingconfiguration entries that correspond to the first procedure for makingconfigurations relating to a print medium used in the printing by theprinting device 105; the second procedure for selecting an image to beprinted by the printing device 105 and specifying its print range; thethird procedure for making configurations relating to the imageprocessing for the image for which the print range was specified; andthe fourth procedure for performing image processing to generate imagedata suitable for the printing device 105.

The invention enables image processing to be performed with minimumoperations by, depending on how the application is launched, determiningthe information that is already configured and displaying aconfiguration screen corresponding to additional information, ratherthan starting the display with a screen for setting the initialprocedure irrespective of how the application is launched. This canfurther improve the operability of image editing process. Also, byincluding a printing function in image editing process, it is possibleto easily output images processed with editing to a printing device.

Other Embodiments

Although the case where the printing device uses inkjet as its printingprocess has been described as an example in the above embodiment of theinvention, the invention is not limited to inkjet but also can beapplied to various printing processes such as electrophotographyprinting, thermal transfer printing, thermal printing, electrostaticprinting and so on.

The invention may be applied to a system that consists of multipledevices (a host computer, interfacing device, reader, and printer, forexample), or a device that consists of a single device (a copyingmachine or facsimile machine, for example).

It goes without saying that the object of the invention can be alsoattained by providing a system or device with a storage medium (or arecording medium) that records the program codes of software forrealizing functions of the above embodiment so that the computer (orCPU, MPU) of the system or device reads and executes the program codesstored in the storage medium.

In this case, the program codes themselves which are read from a mediumlike a storage medium realize the functions of the above embodiment andthe medium such as a storage medium in which the codes are storedconstitutes the invention. For the medium as the storage mediumsupplying the program codes, a floppy® disk, hard disk, optical disk,magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, magnetic tape, non-volatile memorycard, and ROM, etc. can be employed for example.

Also, needless to say, such a case is included in the invention wherenot only the functions of the above embodiment are realized by executingprogram codes read by a computer, but an OS etc. running on the computerperforms some or all of the actual processes based on the designationsof the codes and which processes realize the functions of the aboveembodiment.

Moreover, it goes without saying that such a case is also included inthe invention where after program codes read from a medium such as astorage medium have been written into memory provided on a functionexpansion board inserted into a computer or a function expansion unitconnected to a computer, a CPU etc. that resides on the board or theunit executes some or all of the actual processes according to thedesignations of the program codes and which processes realize thefunctions of the above embodiment.

If the invention is applied to the above storage medium, the medium willstore the program codes that correspond to the flow charts in FIGS. 2 to5 of the embodiment mentioned above.

Thus, the operability of image editing process can be improved accordingto the invention. And image editing process can be performed withminimum operations since the invention accepts predetermined proceduresaccording to how it is launched.

1-31. (canceled)
 32. An information processing apparatus comprising: anexecution unit configured to execute an application; and a control unitconfigured to control displaying such that an initial display screen isdisplayed when the application is started based on an execution file ofthe application, and such that another display screen is displayed whenthe application is started based on a file saved by the application. 33.An information processing apparatus according to claim 32, wherein theinitial display screen includes a display screen for specifying aprinter.
 34. An information processing apparatus according to claim 32,wherein the initial display screen includes a display screen forspecifying a sheet size or a sheet type.
 35. An information processingapparatus according to claim 32, wherein the other display screenincludes a display screen for instructing printing.
 36. Acomputer-readable storage medium for storing an application program, theprogram comprising: controlling an initial display screen to bedisplayed when the application is started based on an execution file ofthe application; and controlling another display screen to be displayedwhen the application is started based on a file saved by theapplication.
 37. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein theinitial display screen includes a display screen for specifying aprinter.
 38. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein the initialdisplay screen includes a display screen for specifying a sheet size ora sheet type.
 39. A storage medium according to claim 36, wherein theother display screen includes a display screen for instructing printing.40. An information processing method carried out in a computer thatstores an application program, the method comprising: controlling aninitial display screen to be displayed when the application is startedbased on an execution file of the application; and controlling anotherdisplay screen to be displayed when the application is started based ona file saved by the application.
 41. An information processing methodaccording to claim 40, wherein the initial display screen includes adisplay screen for specifying a printer.
 42. An information processingmethod according to claim 40, wherein the initial display screenincludes a display screen for specifying a sheet size or a sheet type.43. A An information processing method according to claim 40, whereinthe other display screen includes a display screen for instructingprinting.